This application a request for continued examination of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/549,760, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/958,811 filed Aug. 5, 2013. The benefit of the earlier filing date of the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/958,811 is hereby claimed.
A drag reduction system that relates to the reduction of drag forces down and away from the rear wheels of commercial vehicles, thus increasing fuel efficiency. Several attempts have been made to develop a system to decrease drag around the rear wheels of vehicles including the installation of side paneling extending closer to the ground as well as airfoils attempting to angle the wind away from the rear wheels.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,769, Fannin et al., discloses a retractable air turbulence device attached to the lower side of a vehicle frame that can be raised and lowered to deflect air around the wheels, however, the present disclosure adjusts automatically.
In U.S. Patent Application No.: US 2010/0066123, Ortega et al., discloses trailer wheel fairings before and possibly after the rear wheels of a trailer to reduce aerodynamic drag from the wheel sets, affixed to the underside of the trailer, however the present discloser is an adjustable system.
In U.S. Patent Application US 2011/0042999, Dayton discloses a system reducing aerodynamic drag on vehicles that includes a series of convex outward airfoils to deflect air around the rear wheels of a trailer, connected to the axle assembly ahead of the first and second tires, however, the present disclosure is a single airfoil and adjustable.
In U.S. Patent Application No.: US 2011/0042998, Rinehart et al., discloses an adjustable air-deflecting panel for a vehicle that includes an adjustable air-deflecting panel that is mounted on the sides of a vehicle, where the angle of deflection can be modified to increase or decrease deflection, whereas the present disclosure is designed to go on the underside of the vehicle.
In U.S. Patent Application No.: US 2011/006805, Domo et al. discloses an undercarriage fairing that includes an airstream deflector attached to the undercarriage of a trailer angled away from the bottom of the trailer to deflect air down and away from the rear wheels, whereas the present disclosure is adjustable.
In U.S. Patent Application No.: 2011/0272964, Henderson, et al., discloses devices and methods for reducing vehicle drag, including air stream deflecting devices positioned in front of the rear wheels, whereas the present disclosure is adjustable.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,990, Rinard, discloses devices and methods for reducing vehicle drag, including air stream deflecting devices positioned in front of the rear wheels, whereas the present disclosure is adjustable.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,769, Fannin, et al., discloses devices and methods for reducing vehicle drag, including air stream deflecting devices positioned in front of the rear wheels, whereas the present disclosure is adjustable.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,046, Whitney, et al., discloses a commercial vehicle with an airfoil positioned in front of the rear wheels of the vehicle, with hinges and a pneumatic adjustment system for adjusting the angle between the airfoil and the underside of the commercial vehicle, petitioner would respond that discloses an airfoil “[p]referably . . . mounted approximately midway between the rear tires of the tractor and the following tires of the trailer of the vehicle . . . ” and is designed to deflect the air “into the lower portion of the following tires and axle of the vehicle”. And further, “[t]he general purpose of the outboard lateral deflector is to deflect the airstream into the area of the following tires and the primary purpose of the inboard lateral deflectors is to outwardly deflect the airstream toward the following tires and somewhat away from the “tunnel” between the following tires”. Whereas in the present disclosure the airfoil is positioned in the area of the rear wheels so that the air flow can be redirected away from the center of the vehicle, down, out and around the rear wheels.
In U.S. Patent Application No.: 2008/0061596, Brown, et al., discloses an airfoil adjustment system for an airfoil mounted on a vehicle top rear of an automobile, where the adjustment system is a hydraulic system with a containment means, hoses, pump, valve and cylinders that may indicate that the use of hydraulic cylinders is common in the industry in association with the use of airfoils. However, the combination of Whitney et al. in view of Brown, et al. results in an adjustable airfoil for use in diverting airflow away from the underside of a tractor trailer, at the rear wheels of the trailer and does not obviously produce the present disclosure, as the present disclosure is a hydraulically adjustable airfoil positioned near the rear wheels of a trailer to adjust the flow of air around and away from the rear wheels.
In U.S. Patent Application No.: 2011/0148140, Benton discloses an airfoil with a vehicle wherein the airfoil on the top, rear of a commercial vehicle that may be either manually or automatically adjusted based on the speed of the vehicle. However, the combination of Whitney et al. in view of Brown, et al. and further in view of Benton still only results in the production of an automatically adjustable airfoil designed to direct airflow away from the underside of a commercial vehicle and toward the rear wheels, whereas the present disclosure reveals an airfoil in the area of the rear wheels that directs the airflow around and away from the rear wheels of the commercial vehicle.